What are some requirements to be a travel agent?

Steps to travel internationally...?

• I am a complete novice, to say the least, as to the information of airline traveling. Though I know much information through researching, let us pretend I know nothing whatsoever. If helpful, I will say now I am an American planning to go to India. Though this will be next year's Summer. I just prefer to plan ahead and be safe, potentially save money, &c. Concisely, please elaborate the **specific** steps to travel, from buying the ticket to documentation and so on, as well as any precautions. Likewise, here are some misc. questions: 1) What all must be done to get a passport, and how long does it take? 2) After buying tickets online (which I'm still bewildered about), do the tickets come in the mail, through a printable file, etc.? 3) What is a Visa? Too, would I need one for India if I am staying less than 90 days? 4) May a debit card, rather than a credit card, be used for all the purchasing? 5) What's the best place for foreign currency exchange; would it be the airports themselves? 6) Upon arriving to the destination and grabbing my luggage, are there any requirements to proceed, or may I just resume to the location I want? 7) What precisely does a travel agent do to help plan, and is it worth even spending money upon? Any information, at all, will help. I know I ask of a lot, but it should be basic questions for frequent flyers (unlike myself). Too, know that you're brightening the day of a boy who truly appreciates your input. Thank you :)

• Answer:

  Plan well ahead if you are going to India, because there are a couple of things which can take time, and you should start doing them now. 1) Apply for a full US passport. 2) Get your vaccinations. Some of these you need a couple of shots with some weeks between, so don't turn up at the doctor's a month before you go and expect to be sorted out. Get the lot - about 50% of first time travelers to India get some sort of bug, and you will not have much of a holiday if you are trying to share a hostel toilet at 10 minute intervals for a week. 3) When you have your passport, apply for a Visa. The Indian consulate has outsourced the processing service to this site: https://www.indian-visa.com/homepage This is the permit the Indian government issue to say you can enter the country, and for what purpose, and for how long. They also charge a fee for this, and it will be a sticker they glue into your passport. You will pay $81 for the visa and probably another $50 to the processing company. You get the form online at the site above. How your tickets come will depend on the airline. You should certainly book your first nights accommodation in India beforehand, you can do that online with a lot of hotels and hostels. Get some foreign currency before you go, you will need a surprising amount for a taxi from the airport - these are often a long way from towns. When you get to your destination you will have to collect your luggage from the baggage carousel then wait in a queue with other passengers to go through the immigration check, where they will stamp your passport. Probably there will be a form to fill out on the plane where you put down the hotel or whatever you are going to be staying at your first night, reason for visit, i.e. 'tourist'. They may have a regulation that you have to change a certain amount of money into Indian cash, and present a receipt to the people at the passport/immigration check when you go through to prove it. Change up the minimum they ask unless other travellers say it is a good rate. They will look at your visa, note the date of entry, stamp your passport and give you a form which they will tell you not to lose because they want to see it when you leave ( this is the case in many countries, but can vary). You then walk through the customs check where they probably won't stop you, and you will be in the entrance hall of the airport. A lot of places have a system whereby you pay for a taxi into town at a desk, then they fit you into a taxi. This is so they know how much the taxi drivers are charging. If you have booked a proper hotel, there may be a hotel bus to take you there so you don't have to bother with a taxi.